Summary

Dr. Roxanna Garcia of Northwestern University received a $146,402 Project Grant award from the Fogarty International Center (FIC), under the International Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.989), effective March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2031. The award supports research and professional development aimed at improving surgical response times for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients in Lima, Peru. Dr. Garcia will conduct implementation science research to identify and address health system barriers that delay cranial surgery following TBI, with a focus on achieving the critical four-hour surgical intervention window that significantly improves patient survival outcomes.

Under this award, Dr. Garcia will strengthen her research competencies in implementation science methodologies, mixed-methods research design, and clinical trials research under the mentorship of a multinational team including experts from Northwestern University and Universidad Peruano Cayetano Heredia. The project addresses a critical global health disparity, as TBI mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries are three to four times higher than in high-income countries. By advancing evidence-based surgical practices and identifying implementable solutions within resource-constrained settings, this research aims to reduce the substantial mortality and long-term disability burden associated with TBI in Peru and similar low-resource environments.